Looking for Mr Suitable
by TheBirdAndTheMagician
Summary: Zatanna makes an important decision...


**This is just my Chalant version of Mr. Suitable. There isn't a lot of pregnant!Zatanna fanfics And I can't actually think of one so I thought to slightly change an amazing one! So please review and enjoy!**

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><p>The apartment was illuminated with candles and some Grateful Dead played on the stereo. Standing at the window, Zatanna Zatara looked out over her adopted city. At twenty-one she had achieved so much, but something felt missing. Her career as a magician had never been better and offers were pouring in. She was a member of the Justice League and while there had been some ups and downs along the way, at least she was sitting at the big table. Yes, everything was good, beyond her wildest dreams, but lately her mind had constantly been thinking about what was missing. For all her success and acclaim she had no one to share it with. Oh, there was her cousin, Zack, but that wasn't the same.<p>

There was no one special in her life, yet she felt this overwhelming urge to start a family. She had been to see her financial advisor and he told her she was in perfect shape if she needed to take some time off. She'd been to see her doctor and she was in excellent health and there were no foreseeable problems with her having a child. It seemed everything was perfect for her to get pregnant, except one thing.

The father.

She wasn't even close to being in a serious relationship and the prospects were pretty slim. There was also the fact she wasn't sure she even wanted to get married. Of course she'd thought about it, but why did the two have to be connected? She might never be in this ideal situation again if she waited for Mr. Right to come along first. She didn't want to be one of those Grandma-mothers that were so old she had to take a nap from exhaustion while the baby was with a sitter. She wanted a child now, when she was young and vital.

Zatanna went back and forth with it for months. She never mentioning to any of her friends, but quietly did all the homework and soul searching that such a monumental decision required. She was prepared to take a leave of absence from the League and put most of her career on hold. It was now or never, she thought. Still there was a nagging bit of doubt in the back of her mind. What if she was being selfish and this turned out to be a huge mistake? What if she was a horrible mother? She needed to talk to someone, someone she trusted. She thought of her friends, but knew if she did, everyone would know about it. She knew how gossip, especially something like this, spread like wildfire through the League. No, she would keep this to herself until she was sure.

She finally decided the one person she could talk to about this, was the woman that had helped raise her, Nimue, Madame Xanadu. She was practically a second mother to Zatanna anyway. She'd been alive for who knows how long, so she would be a voice of reason. Yes, that's what I'll do, Zatanna thought, I'll talk to Nimue.

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><p><strong>New York – The Hokus &amp; Pokus Occult Curiosities Shop<strong>

Madame Xanadu, Nimue to those that knew her very well, stood behind her tarot reading table looking at Zatanna. The only other sound was the jingle of her earrings as she shifted her head back and forth. Her usually flowing dark tresses are swept up on top of her head in a paisley headscarf to keep them out of her work.

In the few thousands years she'd been alive, she'd learned many spells and incantations. Some of the tomes and priceless manuscripts in her vast collection lay by her side. She had knowledge of the magical arts only a few living beings knew of.

Many had found their way into her heart, but only one held a very special place, Zatanna. She was the daughter Xanadu never had. When Zatanna's mother, Sindella disappeared soon after her birth, Madame Xanadu had come to Giovanni Zatara's aid and helped raise his young daughter. Over the years, as she watched her grow, Xanadu took a mother's pride in the beautiful woman Zatanna became. She'd been happy when Zatanna called and said she wanted to talk to her about something. Zatanna had just told her what her plans were.

"Have you lost your mind,' Madame Xanadu shouted. She threw her hands in the air and began pacing. "You want to do what?"

"Not quite the reaction I was expecting, Nimue,' Zee replied.

"What did you expect me to do, throw a party? You're much too young to have a child, Zatanna, much too young!"

"I'm twenty-one,' Zee protested.

"Hardly a blink of time,' Nimue replied, shaking her head back and forth.

"To you,' Zee said. "You're over ten thousand years old, that's not fair! Everyone's too young to you!"

"Do you have any idea what it involves raising a child,' Nimue asked.

'Yes, I've read up on it and talk to my doctors and financial advisors,' Zee explained. "This is the perfect time for me to do it, if I'm ever going to do it."

"Bah, that means nothing, a child is a huge responsibility,' Xanadu said dismissively. "You can't just quit if you get bored or decide you don't want to do it anymore, you know. There are sacrifices, more than you can imagine!"

"I know that, but I've also thought about this a lot and I want to do this,' Zee explained. "I might never be in this situation again and it just feels right."

"If you've made up your mind, why did you come to me,' Xanadu asked.

"I guess I just wanted to talk to someone I love and trust about it. You were always there for me when I was growing up, helping Dad, but he's gone now,' Zatanna replied. "I was hoping you'd be there for me this time, too."

As shocked and upset as Madame Xanadu was, she knew she couldn't stay that way with Zatanna. She was like her own child and Nimue could see this was important to Zatanna.

'So you're serious about doing this,' she finally asked.

"Yes."

"I can't talk you out of it?'

"No."

"Well, than I guess I have no choice but to support you," Xanadu said with a small smile. "I won't be called Grandma under any circumstances, is that clear?"

"Thank you, Nimue,' Zee replied. The two women hugged for several moments.

"So we need to talk about all of this,' Nimue said. "Come sit down and tell me everything you've been thinking."

The two sat and Zatanna repeated everything that had been going through her mind over the last months. Madame Xanadu listened and as she did, she realized just how much time and energy Zatanna had put into this. Well, at least she has thought about it and considered all the pitfalls and problems, Nimue thought. It took almost an hour for Zatanna to relay everything that had been going through her mind, but finally she got to the one sticking point.

"… so the only problem is who's going to be the father."

"Do you have anyone in mind?"

"Not really,' Zatanna admitted.

"There's In Vitro fertilization,' Xanadu suggested. "We could check out the best clinics and you could take your pick."

"I considered that," Zatanna replied. "My doctor even recommended several of the finest private clinics. I'm checked them out and they are all top of the line, but that seems so clinical. I want to at least know the father is and what kind of man he is. I think if I'm going to do this, I want to do it the natural way. I'm young, so it shouldn't be that difficult."

"So who would you ask?"

"I don't know yet, I mean, I know a lot of great guys in the League and the magic community,' Zee replied.

"What would you put up a sign on the bulletin board,' Nimue asked. "Something that says "Looking for someone to sleep with me and have a child, call Zatanna'?"

"NO! Jeez, I'm not a complete idiot,' Zee protested. "I was thinking I'd feel some of them out on what they think about children, you know? I could ask others opinion and once I decided who I want to be the father, I'd quietly approach them to see if they would help me."

"What about the ones you don't pick won't there be some hard feelings?"

"I wouldn't tell anyone until I'm pregnant,' Zee explained. "Until then it would just be our secret, well and the father, of course."

"Why settle on just the Justice League or magical men? Why not a regular fellow,' Nimue asked.

"Well, I know them probably the best, plus it might be weird with a regular guy,' Zatanna replied. "I wouldn't want to put anyone in danger, so the Magical and the League guys would be better equipped for that sort of thing."

"I guess that makes sense,' Nimue admitted. "So you're not going to tell anyone?"

"Just you and the father when I decide,' Zee said. "I don't want everyone to know, or I'll never hear the end of it. Once I'm pregnant, I'll tell people, but I want it to be private until them."

"I have to admit, it sounds like you've thought this out,' Nimue offered. "So when will you start?"

"Well, I'm meeting an old friend for dinner Friday night, so I thought I'd start with him."

"I want you to call me as soon as it's over and tell me everything, is that clear,' Nimue demanded.

"Yes, so you're going to support me,' Zee asked.

"Did you ever have any doubt?"

**Dinner**

"… So these two young yobs get it in their loaf I look like an easy mark, right. You know me, I'm just minding my own business, having a smoke outside the pub not bothering anyone. So they decided to put the strong arm on me, right? Well, I'm not having any of it, see? I mean there's a principal involved, isn't there? I let them trifle with me, where does it end, you know? So I give them a little of the what for, the old one two as it were and they quickly learn the err of their ways. I'm just about to give them my finishing move and what happens? A car hits me, wouldn't you know. I nearly died."

_He certainly likes to talk, Zatanna thought. Well, that's good, I like to talk too; maybe not as much about myself as Constantine does, but it is something we have in common._

The place was dark. It smells of old wood, smoke and some sort of oil. It had a sort of faded class about it. White tablecloths and the food was excellent.

_He was still talking._

_He's comfortable with magic. That's another thing we have in common. If I have a child it will be a homo magi like me, so magic is a given. Someone familiar with magic would be good as a father. That would be something he could share with the baby._

_He was still talking._

_We've done it before, so it wouldn't be weird or awkward. Well, not as weird or awkward as it could be. The thing is, it wasn't that good the last time. I mean I was young and sort of inexperienced but even I realized it wasn't that good. Is that selfish, she wondered?_ She wanted a baby, but she kind of wanted the process to be, well, good. She wanted to look back on her child's conception and have a good memory of it. That wasn't too selfish, she thought. She didn't want to cringe every time she thought about it.

_He's still talking. Is it the same story?_

_He has had an interesting life. She had to give Constantine that. Sure, he'd been in a horrible punk band called Mucus Membrane and then seemed to drift endlessly between jobs, but it was interesting, she told herself. You could also call it irresponsible, but let's not be negative. We'll stick with interesting for now._

_Is he lighting up another cigarette? What is that like ten since we sat down? Leave it to Constantine to find the one place in the whole country where you can still smoke inside. I'm going to have to wash these clothes four or five times after tonight just to get the smell out of them. On second thought, at the rate he's going with them, I might just have to burn these clothes, Zee realized._

_Is he sweating? It's sixty degrees in here and he's sweating?_

_Wait, are his eyes blood shot? Yes and now that I take a closer look at him his face is a little red and I think he's slurring his words a bit. That could just be the accent though, but his eyes are definitely blood shot._

"Are you drunk,' Zee finally asked, breaking into his story.

Constantine took a moment. He had really been gaining speed on his story and was getting to the really good part, with the hot nurse and the demon spirits. He could feel her watching him intensely now and fidgeted a bit under her gaze.

"What are you a narc now that you've joined the big, bad Justice League,' he fired back. "Really, Zee, I thought we were just two old friends having a nice dinner and catching up. I wasn't expecting an inquisition. "

"You are, aren't you?"

He lit up another cigarette and turned away from her to get the waiter's attention.

"Hey, chief, could you get me another one?"

He finished the pint in front of him and shook the empty glass for the waiter to see.

"I'll take that as a yes,' she said.

"I'm an adult, Zee, it's legal or hadn't you heard?"

"You know, you're kind of a dick, Constantine,' she replied. "I mean that in the nicest way, of course."

She gave him a smile and he returned it with a snide one of his own.

"So are you going to preach to me about the evils of alcohol,' he asked. "You already ruined my story and I was just getting to the best part, the hot nurse."

"Well, now I feel terrible. I was so hoping you'd tell me all about some hot nurse you met when I thought about having dinner with you. Did you score with her or how do you put it, shag her? Please, Constantine, tell me all about some other woman you've been with recently."

She had the sweetest smile on her face, but her words dripped sarcasm.

"Well there were demon spirits too, but if you really want to hear about how hot she was, I'll be more than happy to tell you."

"Maybe later, the mood's sort of gone."

"You're loss."

"I think I'll survive."

They both sort of laughed at this. They sat silently for a moment, each in their own thoughts. Zatanna thought this might be the perfect time to bring up the idea of children, just to see how he would react.

"So did you practice safe sex, at least?"

"Of course, I locked the door,' he joked. "I'm not a barbarian, Zee."

"Funny,' she replied and then pressed forward. "So you've never thought about the idea of being a father?"

He visibly stiffened at the question.

"Well that was out of left field. What brought that on?"

"I was just asking. I mean you like to take risks, as we both know, so it is a possibility."

"You know I'm trying to eat here, don't you? You want to ruin it for me?"

"So you're saying you never want to have any kids?" She questioned him, watching his every movement.

"Whom have you been talking to? Is this a set up?" He turned and looked around the restaurant nervously. "Is someone going to come barging in now and slap me with a paternity suit? Would you really help someone do that? I thought we were friends, Zee?"

"It's not that,' she replied, but he was already off on a tangent.

"Was it Margaret? It was, wasn't it? Look, whatever she told you was bollocks! I mean sure we had some fun, but I wasn't the only one! If she thinks she's going to rope me into a paternity suit, she better think again! Sure I may have stretched the truth a little bit on how much money I have, but that doesn't mean I want to pay her for the next eighteen years!"

"Constantine, I don't even know who Margaret is,' Zee said, trying to explain.

"Where is she? Is she here,' he asked. His head was on a swivel now, checking out all the exits. Constantine suddenly stood up and started shouting. "The jig's up, Margaret, you can make your grand entrance now! This was very clever. I don't know how you got Zatanna to do this, but it's not going to work! You and I both know I'm not the father of your kid!"

"Would you sit down,' Zatanna gasped in embarrassment. The whole restaurant was staring at them now. "I don't know any Margaret, you idiot!"

"You don't?"

"NO!"

"Oh, well that's completely different,' he said. She could see him visibly relax. He turned to the other patrons in the restaurant and addressed them. "Never mind, false alarm. Go back to you meals."

He sat back down and took a deep breath. The waiter nervously came over and set Constantine's drink down on the table and removed the empty. Constantine took a long drink from the glass.

"Don't go to far, mate, I think I'm going to need another real soon."

Zatanna made a face a she watched him stab out his cigarette in the uneaten mash potatoes on his plate. Something about that had always grossed her out. It wasn't like he didn't have an ashtray, but he still had to use the mash potatoes.

"That's disgusting,' she said.

"I was finished with them anyway,' he replied, lighting up another cigarette. "Your little 'joke' killed my appetite."

"It wasn't a joke, I was just asking a question. You didn't have to freak out about it."

"Well, if you knew Margaret, you wouldn't think I was freaking out, believe me,' he said.

"You slept with her, how bad could she be,' she asked, but then raised her hand to stop him. "Forget I said that. I don't really want to know."

"It's a good story, are you sure?"

"Yes."

He seemed to relax and took another long drink from his glass.

"So if you don't know Margaret, why the questions about kids?"

"Just making conversation. You're not getting any younger, Constantine."

"I'm not ready for a puke and shit machine either,' he said. "That's what little kids are, Zatanna. They're always puking, shitting or pissing. On the rare occasions they're not, you get the crying."

"You paint such a lovely picture with words, Constantine."

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><p><strong>New York City<strong>

Madame Xanadu was just finishing up with some clients and ushering them out the door when her phone rang.

"Xanadu!" She answered.

"Scratch Constantine off the list, Nimue."

"I'm sorry, baby, I really am,' Nimue said to Zatanna. "I always thought he was a long shot, if you want to know the truth."

"I know, I sort of did too, but I figured I'd find out for sure."

"Have you given any more thought to my suggestion of Alan Scott,' Nimue asked.

"Alan Scott? The original Green Lantern, he's like ninety, Nimue," Zee gasped.

"He doesn't look it," Nimue countered. "He's really kept himself in good shape."

Madame Xanadu waited for a response, but none came.

"Hello? Zatanna, are you there? Hello?"

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.


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